


Catch Me If I Sink

by myscribblingquill



Series: Dwarven Outpost in The Shire [3]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Shire Retirement, Dwarves in the Shire, Fluff, M/M, Shire AU, Shire Retirement, The Shire, swimming lessons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-14
Updated: 2015-10-14
Packaged: 2018-04-26 09:43:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4999975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myscribblingquill/pseuds/myscribblingquill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Bilbo goes out shopping without Thorin or Frodo he comes back to find them both scheming. Not that there ideas are bad, swimming lessons are always a good idea especially if you've got a dwarf handy who is willing to give them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Catch Me If I Sink

**Author's Note:**

> So as the BOTFA EE came out in America yesterday and I'm procrastinating everything I thought why not write some more shire au!

Opening the door to Bag-End Bilbo walked through the hallway and into the kitchen hoping that his husband would be there to help him put away the groceries. When he got there he found that neither Thorin nor Frodo where anywhere in sight. Bilbo knew they had been in the kitchen though, there was the reminisce of a hastily eaten meal left on the table. A jar of opened honey, half warm tea and a few dirty plates stacked up on the side.

Putting the lid on the honey jar and placing it back into the cupboard, Bilbo quickly tidied the kitchen, emptying out the tea and stacking the rest of the plates. He was about to start unpacking the groceries when he heard joyful screaming from the main bathroom.

"Uncle Thorin, no!" Frodo's voice echoed down the corridor with a joyful tone and a giggle. "You can't do that"

Bilbo laughed softly to himself before walking down to the bathroom. When he'd left for the market this morning Frodo and Thorin were both still asleep but he assumed that they'd gotten up while he was out.

As he walked down the corridor getting closer to the half opened bathroom door, Bilbo could hear Frodo giggling and chastising Thorin again. He could also hear the deeper laughter of Thorin and another noise that sounded suspiciously like water splashing. He pushed the door open, sticking his head round the corner.

"Now then, I hope you’re not making a mess in my bathroom" Bilbo said in a mockingly stern voice with a broad smile on his face.

Upon hearing his voice Thorin and Frodo looked up with guilty expressions on their faces. Frodo was sat in the bath, covered in bubbles. Thorin wasn't much better being sat on a stool next to the bath, in just his trousers and undershirt he was almost as soaked a Frodo. Currently Thorin had a handful of bubbles and looked as if he was about to throw them at Frodo.

Frodo giggled at Bilbo's expression. "No Uncle Bilbo. We’re just getting clean again"

Shrugging his shoulders at Bilbo, Thorin picked up a towel and held it out to Frodo. “We had a little mishap with some honey while we were eating our breakfast” he said wrapping the towel around Frodo’s shoulders and helping him climb out of the bath.

Bilbo shock his head at the antics of his husband and nephew. It was just like them to get into a mess while he wasn’t around. Opening the door wider so Frodo could go to his room, Bilbo stepped back into the corridor telling Thorin that he needed some help in the kitchen once the bathroom was tidy again.

Draining the water from the bath and washing the bubbles Thorin quickly followed Bilbo into the kitchen. When he got there he found Bilbo washing up the plates that they had used during breakfast. Thorin walked over to Bilbo who hadn’t noticed he’d walked into the room and placed a kiss on the top of his head and wrapped his arms around Bilbo’s waist.

“You know I can that” Thorin said as Bilbo placed the clean plates on the draining board.

“Actually you can dry up” replied Bilbo smiling at Thorin and nodding towards the dishcloth that was next to the clean plates.

They worked quickly, cleaning the rest of the kitchen as Bilbo told Thorin how the market was. As Thorin was explaining how Frodo ended up with honey in his hair, Frodo walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table.

“I’m all clean now” he said, displaying his clean clothing to his uncle. After he’d left the bathroom he’d gone down to his room and put on some clean clothes. Frodo had been living with Bilbo and Thorin for almost eight months now and he had his things neatly organised in his room. “I don’t have honey in my hair anymore”

Bilbo dried his hands off on the dish cloth that Thorin was holding. “I noticed”

“It was Uncle Thorin’s fault though. We were talking about going swimming and he stood up with the honey pot in his hand and it went all over my hair” Frodo told Bilbo enthusiastically.

Bilbo chuckled at the thought of Thorin being clumsy enough to drop honey over Frodo’s hair. Then he realised that Frodo mentioned going swimming. “Thorin you do realise that most hobbits can’t swim”

Leaning against the work surface Thorin nodded. “Yes but I offered to teach Frodo”

Pulling Frodo into a hug Bilbo agreed that Frodo was allowed to have swimming lessons as long as Bilbo was there too and Thorin used a shallow part of the river. They decided that the next sunny day would be used for swimming lessons.

* * *

It turned out that the following day had bright blue skies with the sun blazing. In the morning after second breakfast Frodo and Bilbo made up a hamper of food to take with them to the river. Bilbo also found some towels for them to use to dry off with.

In the afternoon, just after luncheon the family headed out to the Brandywine River. As most hobbits didn’t know how to swim it was an area that was usually quite quiet. Only those who wished to fish came near the river. It wasn’t unusual to find some tweens relaxing under the trees though.

When they arrived Frodo decided that he wanted to start with the lessons immediately. Thorin had been hoping that he might have been able to have a nap in the sun but Frodo had different ideas.

“You can have a nap after my lessons Uncle Thorin” Frodo told Thorin as he pulled his shirt over his head.

Stripping down to just his underwear Thorin waded into the river to try and find a shallow spot where Frodo could stand easily. Thorin had decided the night before that there was no need for proper swimming costumes as the weather was still warm so there would be no risk of catching a cold.

Once he’d found a shallow spot Thorin called over to Frodo. “Come on in for a paddle then”

Thorin was stop just off the edge of the bank. The water didn’t quite come up to his knees so it would be easy for Frodo to stand in. He beckoned to Frodo encouraging him to come into the water but the boy stood on the bank staring at the water.

“It’s perfectly alright Frodo” Thorin said remembering how Frodo had heard the story of his parents dead. “Look, I’ll show you”

Turning from the bank Thorin swam across to the other side of the river. As it wasn’t very wide in that particular area he crossed it with a few strokes. When he reached the other side he turned to wave to Frodo before swimming back.

“Are you going to come in now? He asked softly.

Frodo uncrossed his arms from around his chest and dipped a toe in the water. Thorin reached out and took Frodo’s hands within his own. That seemed to inspire confidence in Frodo as he took a step forward so that he was now stood in the river.

“Uncle Thorin, what happens if I start to sink? Frodo asked, clinging onto Thorin’s hands.

“Well, then I’ll have to come and save you” Thorin replied.

As the pair walked out into the river they could see Bilbo watching them from the river bank. Thorin managed to get Frodo to paddle about in the water without holding his hands. After about half an hour of paddling Frodo complained that he was hungry so they went back to the shore for an afternoon snack.

“Well how did your lesson go?” Bilbo asked them as he handed them both a slice of bread.

Munching on his bread Frodo told Bilbo about how they went paddling. “Can we come again next week? Please Uncle Bilbo”

“Do you know how to swim yet Frodo? Frodo shook his head. “Then I guess we’ll have to keep coming back until you can swim then”

They returned to the same spot for the next few weeks. Each time Frodo got more and more confident swimming in the water. He even managed to persuade Bilbo to join them on time when Frodo was confident enough to swim by himself.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
